Clip nail



Nov. l5, 1960 G. w. BAKER CLIP NAIL Filed Juney 28, 1956 r A y d 'f IIIlll/l lll/Ilm f2 ad K \&\\ s// f/ INVEN TOR.

United States Patent C CLIP NAH.

George W. Baker, Chicago Heights, .Ill., assignor to United StatesGypsum Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 28,1956, Ser. No. 594,479

3 Claims. (Cl. 50-218) This invention relates to an improved clip nailand, more particularly, pertains to a clip nail which is adapted tosecure sheetlike materials to interlocking metal plates.

One of the more economical and satisfactory roof constructions forindustrial buildings comprises sections of sheet metal commonly referredto as roof decks which are fabricated of steel and arranged in anoverlapping, interlocking relationship. The roof is constructed byarranging sections of the steel decks in edge-toedge relationship; eachof the decks is secured to a supporting steel purlin or beam by welding,or by means of clips, bolts, or other equivalent securing means. Each of the decks is composed of heavy gauge sheet metal having longitudinalribs formed therein for purposes of strengthening the deck, whereby theresistance thereof to bending is increased.

Each of the roof decks has a marginal edge which substantially definesan erect U in cross section. The distal arm of the U, however, isshorter than the proximal arm formed integrally with the remainder ofthe deck. The other opposed edge of each deck is bent downwardly at anangle slightly .greater than 90 and is adapted to rest in the troughformed by an erect U edge of an adjacent deck member. It is thusapparent that the latter interlocking engagement between two adjacentdeck members effects an overlapping joint.

Because of the high thermal conductivity of the abovedescribed steeldecks, it is essential that insulation be provided so as Ito decreaseheat radiation therefrom, and thus decrease heat loss from the interiorof the building on which disposed, in the winter; and also to preventexcessive heat transmission into the building during the summer.Consequently, sheets of heat insulation material of `the usual type,which may be composed of asbestos, glass ber, wood, etc., are disposedon the surface of the deck, and roofing is subsequently appliedthereover. i

The means previously employed for afxing of the insulation, usually insheet form, comprised a layer of asphalt which was mopped over the decksurface. The layers of insulation sheeting were then applied over theroof while the asphalt was still in the molten condition. As many layersas were deemed essential were applied, but for each layer a moltenasphalt base was rst applied to the underlying surface. The expense ofsuch a method of insulating was not only time consuming, and as a resultexpensive, but in addition the asphalt detraoted greatly from the fireresistance of the building. Should a fire occur, ,there was apossibility that the decks of the metal roof might warp enabling moltenasphalt to drop into the underlying building interior, therebycontributing greatly to the spreading and intensity of the fire.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a means forsecuring sheet materials to the abovee described interlocking deckplates which maybe readily applied with a of eifert.

. which the provided @11p nail may beutiiized; Asi-rev i i 2,959,891Patented Nov. 1,5, 1.96@

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It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for securinginsulating sheeting to a metal deck construction which requires nospecial tool in the course of utilizing the same.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a means forsecuring sheet materials to interlocking metal plates which may bereadily fabricated and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

The above and other objects will Ibecome more ap,- parent uponproceeding with the following detailed description read in the light ofthe accompanying draw ings, and from the appended claims.

In one embodiment of the means which is adapted to secure sheets ofinsulating materials to interlocking metal plates, a clip nail isprovided comprising a shank portion having a reenforcing rib. runningtherethrough whieh terminates adjacent the distal end limit of the shankportion. Formed integrally with .the opposed end limit ofthe shankportion is a clip nail head portion. The distal end yportion of the clipnail shank portion is of pointed configuration and the end limit thereofis curved slightly outwardly and may also be scored to enable it to bendeasily in the direction of curvature when driven against' a stopsurface.

The above-described clip nail is to be used in conjunction withoverlapping steel roof decks in a manner Which will hereinafter beexplained in greater detail.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference should nowbe had to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of clip nails securing overlapping sheetsof insulating material to interlocking plate members; v

Fig. 2V is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion ofthe assembly illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a clip nail formed in accordancewith they teachings of this invention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of -the clip nail of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs.v3 and 4, aclip nail 10 is illustrated having an elongated shank portion 12 whichhas disposed therein a centrally disposed rib 14, the purpose of whichis to reenforce the shank portion 12 against any force tendingto bendthe shank portion in a direction which is transverse to the longitudinalaxis thereof. A dis-tal end portion' 1'6 of the clip nail shank portionI2 is pointed so as to facilitate penetration of any materials throughwhich it is Ydriven in lthe normal course of its utilization.

It will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4 that the pointed1 en'd portion 16will bend readily because of its narrowing width. A score line 17, shownin dotted lines in Figs; 3 and 4 may be disposed, if desired; in thepointed portion ,16 of the clip nail to facilitate bending thereof. A

Referring Ito Fig. 4, it will be noted that anv end limit 18 ofthepointed portion 16 of the clip nail is curved inwardly in the samedirection as the direction in a heard portion 2li is disposed relativeto the shank portion 1:2.` It is obviousV that the pointed portion maycurve outwardly and the resulting clip nail would also performV i toadvantage. However, all clip nails used in a single roofing installationshould have uniform structural chari acteristics to facilitatereplacement and initialv installation of the same. The head portion 20of the clip n'ail 101may also have the reenforcing rib 14 disposedytherein and has the obvious functions of facilitating the driving ofthe l Referring now to Fig. l, a usualV type of roof construc' tionemploying overlapping deck sections isvillustrated'witl t9 the ouslymentioned each rooting deck 22 has one edge end limit whichsubstantially defines an upturned U 24. An arm 25 of the U 24 whichdefines the distal end portion of one edge of the deck 22 is shorterthan an opposed arm 27 which defines the other arm of the deck U edge24. Each deck also has reenforcing ribs 23 running along the lengththereof as seen in Figs. l and 2. The two arms 25 and 27 are spacedapart by a bight portion 28. Each U-shaped end limit 24 of each roofdeck 22 is adapted to interlock with a depending edge 26 of an adjacentroof deck. As will be noted from Fig. 2, the depending edge 26 isdisposed at an angle slightly greater than 90 to the remaining portionof the roof deck.

In the normal course of assembly, the bight portion 28 of each roof deckis welded or otherwise iixedly secured to a supporting member such as abeam 32 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. A second roof deck section isrelatively disposed so as to have its angular edge 26 depend into andrest on arm 25 of the U-shaped trough 24 of an adjoining roof decksection so that the relationship illustrated in Fig. 2 is assumed. Thebight portion 28 thereof is then welded to the supporting beam 32 and atixed rela- 'tionship between two roof deck sections is had. Layers 34of insulating material which may be of fiber glass, asbestos or otherequivalent materials of composition are then disposed over theinterlocking roof decks.

The clip nails are then disposed over the interlocking edge portions ofthe roof decks and driven downwardly. The curved end limit 18 of each isreadily bendable. The latter end limit will abut against the stopsurface or bight portion 28 of each roof deck edge, curve in thepredetermined direction of curvature which will be the direction inwhich the head portion of each clip nail is disposed relative to theshank portion thereof, and wrap itself about the distal end limit of theroof deck edge 26 disposed in the U-shaped edge end portion of theadjacent roof deck. It is obviously from Fig. 2 that the layers ofinsulation 34 are thus xedly secured to the roof deck sections and maynot move relative to the decks.

It has been found that if the insulating sheets are composed of lightmaterials such as glass wool, the clip nail should preferably also becomposed of a thin gauge readily bendable material such as aluminum. Ifclip nails are employed which are bendable only with the application ofa large axial thrust, slipping of such nails from the vertical positionoccurs in the course of insertion which renders proper assembly mostdifficult. Consequently, clip nails of substantial thickness or clipnails which are otherwise bendable only with difficulty shouldpreferably be employed only with dense or hard insulating materials.

It is apparent that a clip nail construction has been provided which issimple in design, readily insertable, and requires no special tool inthe course of the utilization thereof. The formation of each clip nailis obviously simple, requiring merely a blanking and a formingoperation.

Although the clip nail 10 has been described and illustrated for use insecuring asbestos sheeting, gypsum board, insulation board, etc. tosheet metal roofs, it is apparent that the nail 10 is adapted for use iniioor and siding constructions as well as other type constructions inwhich a layer of material able to be penetrated by the clip is securedto a supporting surface. The supporting surface must obviously be usedin combination with a stop surface for bending the end limit of the clipnail and a depending surface around which the clip nail end limit willlock.

Since modifications may be made in the illustrated clip nailconstruction which will still remain within the ambit of the inventiveconcepts herein disclosed, it is intended, therefore that this inventionbe limited only by the Scopel of the appended claims. l

I claim:

l. In a joint construction, a plurality of interlocking deck membershaving one projecting lateral edge and one U-shaped edge definingopposed edge portions thereof, said lateral edge of one deck beinginterlockingly received within the U-shaped edge of an adjacent deck,said projecting lateral edge being disposed at an angle of greater thanto the horizontal in the normal joint assembly whereby said edge may besupported by means of a line contact on the distal edge of said U-shapededge, the distal end of said lateral edge terminating adjacent thebottom of said U-shaped edge, sheet materials disposed on saidinterlocking decks, and clip nail means having a readily bendable endportion traversing said sheet portion, said readily bendable end portionbeing disposed over a bottom surface portion of the U-shaped edge andabout the terminal edge of said projecting lateral edge in the normalposition of assembly, the interval between the projecting lateral edgeend limit of said one deck and the surface of the U-shaped edge of saidadjacent deck being greater than the thickness of said readily bendableclip nail end portion, whereby said clip nail end limit may readily bendupon striking the bottom surface of said U-shaped edge, pass throughsaid interval and interlockingly engage the terminal edge portion ofsaid projecting edge.

2. In a joint construction, interlocking deck members, each of said deckmembers having one edge end limit disposed downwardly at an angle ofslightly greater than 90 to an attached substantially planar deckportion, each of said decks having a second edge end limit defining anupturned U, said decks being interlocked by means of the downwardlydisposed edge of one deck in an upturned U of an adjacent deck, saiddownwardly disposed edge engaging the distal edge of said U portion, thedistal end of said deck downwardly disposed edge being spaced from thesurface of said U edge, sheet materials disposed on said deck members, aclip nail securing said sheet materials to said decks and having a shankportion and a head portion angularly disposed thereto, a reinforcing ribformed in said head and shank portions, said clip nail having a readilybendable terminal end limit joined to said shank portion, the intervalbetween said downwardly disposed deck edge end limit and the surface ofsaid U-edge in which disposedbeing greater than the thickness of saidreadily bendable clip nail terminal end limit, whereby said clip nailbendable end limit may traverse said sheet materials, strike the surfaceof said U-shaped edge and curve around the edge end limit of saiddownwardly disposed edge end limit and interlockingly engage therewithupon the exertion of a downward axial thrust on said clip nail in thenormal course of joint assembly, said clip nail readily bendable endlimit being curved about the edge end limit of said downwardly disposededge in interlocking engagement.

3. In a joint adapted to secure sheet materials to a metal roof, aplurality of interlocking deck members comprising said roof, sheetmaterials disposed on said deck members, each of said deck membershaving a projecting edge and a substantially U-shaped edge, said deckmembers interlocking by means of a projecting edge of one deck disposedin a U-shaped edge of an adjacent deck, said projecting edge contactingand being supported by the distal edge of said U-shaped edge, saidprojecting edge forming a downwardly tapering side of a channel formedwith said U-shaped edge in which disposed, the distal end of saidtapering side being spaced from the inner surface of said U-shaped edge,and clip nail means having a readily bendable terminal portion adaptedto curve in a predetermined manner upon striking a stop surface after anaxial thrust is exerted thereon, said clip nail means traversing saidsheet materials and engaging a stop surface in said U-shaped edge bymeans of said readily bendable terminal portion, the interval betweensaid projecting edge and the surface of said U-shaped References Citedin the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 159,611 Sanders Feb. 9,1875 6 Kane Aug. 24, 1926 Schaert Sept. 30, 1930 Burr Aug. 30, 1938Legowik Dec. 18, 1945 Brown June 24, 1952 Penske Ian. 26, 1954 FloraApr. 3, 1956 Flora June 19, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1909

